At Last, Imo State Government Partners Home Journalists.
Imo state Government on Tuesday, 12th of September, 2023 signed a peace pact with members of Association of Imo Home based Journalists (AIHBJ) led by Comrade Kelechi Ugo.
The peace accord was an outcome of a meeting held with the state Commissioner For Information And Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Networking, Hon. Shantel Adanna Onwuzuruike.
Members of AIHBJ had on Tuesday, 5th, September passed vote of no confidence on Imo State Government for its deliberate attempt to gag the association and rub it of its social benefits by failing to recognize its members and integrate them in the scheme of things like other media groups in the state.
The journalists lamented that several government largess due for the association are regularly cornered to minority media groups, leaving behind those who roam the street and field, take the risk and nose for news and extreme cases, get hurt in the course of carrying out their civic responsibility as purveyors of information. This action of the government on its members, they said should be discontinued and journalists under this aegis be accorded equal recognition as others.
However, with the timely intervention of the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma through his aides, Imo based Journalists have resolved to partner with the government so long as all social benefits and recognition due for them are given to them on a regular basis.
The government and executive members of AIHBJ, in an interactive section at the Commissioner's office, Imo state Secretariat, discussed extensively on the unity of the Nigeria Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ) Imo State Council and safety of the union members in the forthcoming Imo State Government election slated for November 11, 2023.
The Commissioner promised to convey the association's message to the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and further sued for peace among Imo journalists which, according to him, will foster robust government-journalists relationship in the state.
The association utilized the opportunity to brief the state government of its proposed Imo Governorship Debate for candidates of all political parties billed to hold on a yet to be be fixed date and venue.
AIHBJ further intimated the government on some of the challenges it may incur and solicited for both financial and security support from all the participating candidates in the debate.
In a related development, the Association, in its emergency meeting on Tuesday, has appointed comrade Austin Echereozor as the Chairman Of Disciplinary Committee, with Kachy Madukaego , Ifeoma Anokwuru, Grace Ofurum, Ikenna Orioha, as members of the committee.
The Chairman, Kelechi Ugo, has urged members to be up and doing, promising that there are better days ahead.
Signed
Joshua Chibuzo Andrew
(Public Relations Officer)
08036450658
